Nexotica: Heat Like Scarlet
by MeikoNexusGen
Summary: A long lost promise and unsettling dreams leave one very frustrated Erza Scarlet. Confusion, pain and ghosts from the past haunt her at night in the most perverse ways. There's only one man who can settle her mind, but he has an ulterior motive: To fulfill that incomplete promise. Rated M for Lemons.
1. Chapter 1

Ringing.

That was what overpowered the young warrior's ears as her body was blown back by the fierce explosion.

Pain.

The excruciating feeling scorched her entire body as the city around her suffered the fires and smoke that lit up the twilight sky.

Petrified.

The emotion currently held her grasply in its cold claws as she had lost sight of her fallen comrades.

All she could do as she watched in trepidation as her merciless opponent languidly strolled across the field to her, with an air so nonchalant as if he wasn't the culprit behind the heinous destruction that surrounded them.

His calculating onyx eyes bore into her silver ovals. Reaching out, he ignored the small yelp that escaped her lips as his gloved hand grabbed a large clump of her bloodied, scarlet hair as he forced her to her feet.

Paralyzed by the pain, she was unable to free herself, so she had no choice but to succumb to her fate. _This is it_, her mind whispered. _I failed my friends, I failed myself_.

Her captor ran the fingers of his free hand through his indigo locks as he looked down at her. "You're so defiant. You've been stubborn since the day I met you, and now it has cost you your friends and your precious guild. You should've came quietly and our unfinished business could've been settled without bloodshed. But you chose your fate, and you chose wrong, Erza."

Titania refused to look at her childhood friend, at the man he'd become.

_Unfinished business_. "You… monster. I was through with you the moment you sent me away from Heaven's Tower. We're finished. You are doing this out of spite, Jellal."

Jellal smirked as his free hand reached out to roughly cup her chin. "So quick you are to forget. You and I will complete the ritual we started."

Opening her eyes to clearly look at Fairy Tail's enemy, she let her rage burn darkly in her pupils. "And what ritual was that?"

Jellal's smirk transformed into the nastiest grin Erza had ever seen from any of her opponents. She couldn't stop him as he suddenly swooped in to kiss her.

Eyes widening, she struggled to get away as he slowly took away her oxygen, forcing his tongue in to ravish her mouth as his hand dipped from her chin to the curve of her breast.

If she could breathe around Jellal's frontal assault, she would've inhaled sharply as he plunged his fingers into her flesh, still throbbing and sensitive from the pain that reverberated throughout her body. It felt like knives were piercing her chest, but then his touch became soft, gentle. He massaged her large orb as even his tongue let up and softly stroked against hers.

Erza's mind was reeling, trying to digest and comprehend what exactly was happening. He was just on the brink of killing her. The surrounding scene faded around her as his fingers dipped beneath the tattered cloth that had seen obliteration during their battle. With a soft pull, the cloth fell, leaving all of Titania's goods on full display.

Pulling away from her, Jellal licked away the train of saliva that they had shared. The cold, unforgiving look was replaced with a heated one filled with passion.

"To make you my wife; to claim your body as mine and fulfill the promise I made to you all those years ago."

_This doesn't make sense_, Erza's common sense yelled at her as Jellal laid her down in the bed of flowers beneath them. Her eyes rolled back as Jellal began to kiss and touch her in a way she had only dreamed about.

She heard him whisper something. What was it?

"Erza Scarlet, I lo-"

"NO!"

Erza shot up in bed, her fiery red hair in disarray as she looked around in surprise. She was in her room. The guild and town were not under attack, which meant her friends were okay.

As her heartbeat slowly returned to its original rhythm, she let her head sink into a shaky hand.

"It really was a dream," she observed. _An erotic one at that_, as she noticed the thick wetness pooling between her thighs.

She sat there, trying to understand what had come over her. Noticing the golden light peaking through her window, Erza deduced it was early morning. Had she been dreaming all night?

_Why did I envision Jellal in such a way? He hasn't acted like that since we defeated him at Heaven's Tower,_ she pondered. _He's not like that anymore. Or is that my heart telling me that I may be wrong in that assumption?_

Pulling back her violet comforter to prepare for another day at Fairy Tail, Erza knew that dream would stick with her.

_I'm dreaming about Jellal when I haven't seen him in months; a premonition? A warning?_

Re-quiping into her standard armor, Erza recovered herself as the heavy metal brought her some peace._ I don't need to worry about it. Just forget it and move on_.

Fifteen minutes later and she found herself walking towards the guild. She smiled as the words_ Fairy Tail_ came into sight. For her, Fairy Tail was synonymous with home.

As her hand reached out to enter, her trained senses made her pause. Someone was watching her. But she didn't see anyone when she was walking.

Slowly and carefully, Titania turned around. Her arm dropped to her side as she discovered who now stood behind her.

"Jellal."


	2. Chapter 2

It only took two seconds for Erza to flashback to her nightmare, three to re-quip a blade into her hand.

"What are you doing here, Jellal?" the scarlet beauty demanded. No matter her second-guessing, her instincts told her not to underestimate him. I won't take lightly the fact that he showed up right after that ominous dream, Erza said to herself.

Her blade didn't tremble as she kept it fixed squarely on him. Looking him over, she noticed that he had nothing in his hands. His dark ensemble looked worn out, but wearable. Trailing up to his face, she sensed no animosity and the cruel eyes that existed in her nightmare could not be found in the real counterpart.

"Hello, Erza Scarlet," he finally said after a short pause. He made no move to get closer, so she decided to lower her sword for now. "I didn't mean to alarm you. You haven't changed a bit, it seems."

She scoffed, ready to head towards her guild. I have a full day ahead of me and I can't let this little reunion drag on for too long, she thought to herself.

"I don't have time for small talk," she said matter-of-factly. The little talks she had with "Seigrain" had cured her of that. "I will not repeat myself."

Jellal looked her over, not ignorant of the tension and slight levels of animosity Erza seemed to be exerting. Her armor was slightly different from the last time the two met, but it seemed to fit her much more comfortably.

"Very well," he replied in compliance. "I am chasing down a criminal and I need someone I trust to help me track them down."

Erza raised an eyebrow. "Jellal, you are not exactly on the best terms with the Magic Council to be running around like this. You need to go back into hiding."

Jellal shook his head. "This is one issue that cannot be ignored. I will be careful, which is why I need your help. Once we capture her, I can disappear and you can turn her in and take full credit."

"So it's a 'her,'" Erza noted. "What is she accused of doing?"

* * *

><p>"Hey, dad! I'm heading down to the lake to train. Tell mom I'll be back before dinner!"<p>

Not waiting to hear his father's response, a young man raced down the hill on which his house sat and headed toward the path that led to a giant lake not too far from the outskirts of Magnolia.

His hazel eyes shined like stones of fire as he ran through the foliage surrounding his destination. A light covering of sweat began forming over his golden brow, and he swiped it away, the tips of his auburn hair already damp from the run. It was a routine familiar to the boy of sixteen years as he strengthened his body and soul to one day join one of the guilds of Fiore.

The trees and bushes finally breaking away in front of him, he looked out at the silent waters of Lake Scilliora. It was the perfect place for him to train. But before he could begin, he froze.

His ears had picked up a sound of movement to his left. Turning slowly, he noticed that the sound was coming from behind one of the lakes' many boulders. A perfect place for enemies to hide themselves, the young man deduced.

His body tightening, he prepared himself for battle and whatever was behind the boulder. Creeping around it, his ears picked up another sound. The mysterious interloper seemed to be moving in the shallow waters of the lake.

With a last breath to steady his nerves, he stepped around the boulder to face the intruder. The morning sunlight fell directly over his eyes as he left the shadows of the boulder, so he was partially blinded and could only make out a silhouette in front of him.

"Halt!" he yelled, blinking away the sharp light in his eyes. "You do realize you're trespassing on private property." His eyes finally adjusting, his focus settled on a young woman, bent at the waist and looking back at him in surprise. He quickly noted the small scrap of fabric she was using to bathe herself. Eyes widening, she screamed.

Eyes like saucers, he backed up too quickly and found himself slamming backwards into the shore of the lake. "I'm sorry! I didn't mean to frighten you!" He tried to put as much sincerity in his voice as he averted his eyes. "I didn't know you were bathing."

Closing his eyes, he heard her ruffling through the water. But it was too late. The shape of her breasts, the curve of her waist and the plumpness of her backside were clearly visible on the back of his eyelids. With a wary glance, he turned back to see that she had donned a small blanket that failed to cover up her voluptuous curves. His cheeks flaming red, he looked down at the ground.

"You have some nerve accusing me of wrongdoing when you clearly just stole a peek," her soft yet commanding voice floated to his ears.

"I do hope you accept my apology," he begged, dropping to his knees and bowing before her. "This is private property, but I made a rash decision in believing you were a threat. I am terribly sorry."

The nameless woman looked down at him. "What is your name?"

Hesitating, he slowly raised his head to return her stare. He noticed how striking her green eyes contrasted with her olive skin. "Azima." She mustn't be from around here, he deduced after considering her slightly exotic features.

Looking him over, she smiled, pushing her midnight locks back from her face. "Azima. You seem like a nice young man. If I am trespassing, I am truly sorry. I was only passing through and thought I would get an early bath in before the day begins."

He nodded. It all made sense. "I really am sorry for the intrusion. Are you headed into Magnolia?"

The woman pursed her lips, which accentuated the smooth cut of her jaw, and he wondered if she would answer his question. "I am. For business."

"Oh, so are you looking for a wizard? The best guilds in Fiore are right there in Magnolia," he slightly boasted.

Her eyes softened, became thoughtful. "You are incredibly perceptive. I am in need of a wizard's assistance."

Azima beamed. I think I just found a way to redeem myself, he thought to himself. It could even be a way for me to increase my training. "Well, look no further. After everything that has happened, please allow me to be at your beck and call for the rest of today."

An eyebrow raised. "You're a wizard?" she asked.

He nodded. "Yes… well, a wizard-in-training. I'm still developing my magic, but by the end of this year, I should be ready to join one of the guilds and become official."

"Oh really?" she probed, curiosity rising within her. "What type of magic?"

"Allow me to demonstrate." Taking a deep breath and concentrating his focus, Azima positioned himself into his practiced stance and looked out to the lake. Raising his arms above his head, he began circling them in a tight, circular pattern. Within seconds, water in the shallow parts of the lake began swirling up into waterspouts that whirled quickly over the lake's surface. After three appeared, Azima moved his circulating arms down in front of him, not losing the pattern. Seconds later, whirlpools emerged in the lake's center, pulling anything around them down to the lake's bottom.

Sweat starting to shine on his brow, Azima stopped the movements of his arms. Several moments passed and his watery creations were gone.

"I can only hold them for a certain amount of time and only over bodies of water," Azima explained without prompt. "By the end of my training, I hope to increase how many of each I can create, how long they last after my arms stop moving and how I can do them without large bodies of water. If I work hard enough, I may be able to even produce rain."

The woman's excited applause pulled him back from his thoughts. "That was an amazing show of power! You are exactly what I need right now."

Smiling, the young water wizard turned his attention back to her. "Thank you, Miss…" His voice trailed off as his eyes were reintroduced to the two enticing orbs protruding from her chest.

"Miss!" he cried, stepping back and faltering in his step as he tried to control the compulsive heat that was building beneath his trousers. "What happened to your towel?"

Stepping slowing towards him, she looked down at him with an indecipherable smile. "I don't need it anymore. I must say, I am rather impressed at your raw power, even though it does need to be tamed in order for you to be completely in control. You said you would be willing to help me. You're not backing out of that promise are you?"

Unable to follow what she was saying, he shook his head. "I meant what I said, but I thought you needed my magic," he replied as she knelt down before him, her hands slipping up his thighs.

"Oh, I do," she smirked. "And I will acquire it later. But for now, let's just enjoy ourselves."

He tried to struggle, but for some reason, he was unable to pull away as her lips pushed against his. By then, it was too late. He could not resist her kisses as her fingers made their way to undo his trousers.

What's wrong with me, his last coherent thoughts wondered. I don't even know her name…

* * *

><p>"A wizard that feasts on the magic of other wizards," Erza said, repeating Jellal's information. "And nobody knows how she is capable of doing this?"<p>

Jellal shook his head. "Not much is known, seeing as many of her victims fall into comas shortly after. The most people know about her is that she appears suddenly and asks them for help. She's somehow managed to avoid disclosing her name."

Erza crossed her arms over her chestplate, her weapon being placed back in her arsenal shortly after Jellal began explaining his case. "This is troublesome. I think I'll talk to a few people and see if we can track her down. Natsu and Gray probably won't fall for any of her tricks, and bringing Lucy along probably will be beneficial seeing as she has celestial spirits that won't be affected by this mystery woman. Thank you for bringing this to my attention, Jellal, but I must insist that you hide yourself before the Council discovers you and locks you up again." I wouldn't want to see that happen, she silently added to herself.

"No. Bringing an entire team to find her will only alert her that she is being hunted and make her disappear," Jellal explained. "This has to be a discreet operation. I have enlisted your help and your help only because you're the only one I trust who can save me if I'm subjected to her magic."

After a pregnant pause, it all clicked. "You're using yourself as bait?!" Erza asked incredulously. "Are you out of your mind?"

"No. That's why I came directly to you once I made my decision." Jellal sighed. "Yes, I do intend to use myself as bait because a majority of her victims are male. Seeing as she's not interested in women, I thought that a woman as strong-willed and perceptive as you would be able to be the backup that I need so that I won't fall prey to her."

Erza closed her eyes, fighting the urge to both blush and slap him. "So it'll just be the two of us."

Jellal nodded. "It would be best. But please know that I'm giving you room to say no here. It's a dangerous mission in which we don't know much about the opponent. As much as I want to see her captured, your safety is important to me."

She sighed, trying to hide the pulsing vein in her right temple. "After you've come to me, you should know I would never let you go on this mission alone." Looking briefly over her shoulder at the guild, Erza recollected herself. I won't have my comrades by my side, but Jellal needs me right now and I can't abandon him.

Taking a quick breath, she turned back to him. "I'm ready." Nodding, Jellal turned and headed for the path that led out of Magnolia. Erza was quick to fall in step behind him.

As she followed him, she hoped that she could put that confusingly erotic dream behind her.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Well, well... several months later, and I finally get this chapter up. I sincerely apologize for the wait. Just so you know, I haven't been sitting on my behind that entire time. With school and work, life isn't easy. But I do have a reprieve, so I will post as regularly as I can. **

**Also, if you weren't aware, this is a part of an ongoing series for a radio show that I co-host and run its blog. The blog features fanfiction, anime reviews, webcomic reviews and poetry slams. Great opportunities for writers looking to get highlighted. If you think you have fanfiction or poetry worth posting, please send me a PM or visit our Facebook page, NexusGen Radio. Visit our blog, matsuriradio. com, and you can contact us directly from there. Whether you're a beginning or experienced writer, we appreciate all submissions and we'll let you know straight away if you have been chosen to be featured. As we proudly say, we are the voice of the unheard.**

**Until next time, loves. Stay sexy! **

**Meiko **


	3. Chapter 3

The atmosphere was muted around the campfire. Erza sat on one side, Jellal the other.

The orange light of the flames cast long shadows over Erza's face as the sun finally dipped below the horizon. She closed her eyes as she remembered the distraught family they had run into earlier that day.

"Please, help us!" They cried. Jellal looked at them in surprise, not expecting such a languished plea. "Our son... he won't wake up!"

"What is the situation?" Erza asked as they entered the distressed couple's home. The little cottage off the side of the trail they were walking down appeared to be much bigger on the inside. The late afternoon sunlight filtered through the open windows at the back of the house, which faced the lake, giving the house a warm glow.

They followed the couple into a bedroom past the kitchen, where their eyes fell upon a young man sleeping on his bed.

After the older woman cast a concerned look in her son's direction, she looked at Erza and Jellal with a pleading expression. "My son, Azima, won't wake up. He went out to train earlier this morning, a routine he's been doing for the past several months. It was a morning like any other. It wasn't until I called for dinner that my husband and I realized that Azima hadn't come back as promised. We went down to the lake, which is where he normally goes to practice his magic. We looked all over, but he didn't respond to our calls. We finally found him lying in between two boulders. He was naked and delusional, whispering about 'the lady of the lake.' We didn't know what he was talking about; there was nobody else there but us. We tried talking to him to find out what happened, but then he just closed his eyes and passed out. He's been like this since."

"Is there anything you can do for our son?" Azima's father asked. "I recognized you," gesturing towards Erza, "as one of the wizards from that Fairy Tail guild in the city and thought that maybe you knew of an illness that wizards get to make them act this way."

Without looking, Erza knew Jellal was eyeing her. I know, she thought to herself. A male wizard, a mysterious lady that disappeared… it must be her doing. But how?

Returning his father's questioning gaze, Erza nodded, silently asking to have a closer look. He stepped away and she moved closer to look down at the young man.

It's as if he's only sleeping, she thought to herself. But she knew better. Doing a quick scan of his body, she didn't notice any mortal wounds. How does she do it?

Figuring looking wasn't enough, Erza laid her hand across his temple. It was warm. Good, she thought, not dead yet.

Suddenly, her hand was tingling. Alarmed, she pulled back, but before she got too far, an arm reached out. "No, don't!" Erza's eyes widened as Azima placed her hand back onto his forehead. The tingling resumed.

"Your magic… I can feel it," he moaned. "I feel… my strength returning."

She looked back at Jellal. His expression was confused, interested. He must be feeding off of my magic, she concluded. It's the only way he's able to talk to us right now.

"Azima!" his mother cried. "What happened to you?"

"I was training," he replied. "But then… I found her."

"What did she look like?" Jellal questioned.

Azima opened his eyes. "She was… beautiful… and I fell for it."

Erza looked down at him. "What did she do exactly?"

"I don't know. She said that she needed my help, but that's not what she wanted."

Jellal moved closer, hoping to look the young man in his eyes. "What did she want?"

"She wanted my body," he answered. "I have never lain with a woman before this morning."

Erza and Jellal exchanged glances. "She took your virginity," Erza said more than asked.

He nodded. "I couldn't stop it. I looked into her eyes… and all sense left me. I was powerless. Before I knew it, it was over and I couldn't sense my magic. It's almost as if she stripped away my soul."

Erza closed her eyes, her hands balling into fists. "No matter what it takes, we'll find this woman and give you your strength and your magic back."

Azima's smile was faint. "I have faith in you… Titania…"

Her brow furrowed. The tingling had expanded into her arm; she could sense herself weakening. Whatever her power is, it's able to strip any magical sources that come into contact with her victims.

"Thank you, Azima, for all of your help. I have to remove my hand now, which means you will slip back into a deep sleep." Erza thought 'coma' was too strong a word for his parents that were barely holding on as it was. "But when you wake, you'll be back to your old self. In a few years' time, I expect to see you walking through Fairy Tail's doors. Understood?"

Azima nodded. "I apologize that I can't even offer you a name. I'm counting on you."

With a confident smile that didn't match her dizzying thoughts, she pulled away. Only a few short moments later, he was gone.

"Erza, you mustn't dwell on it," Jellal advised, pulling her out of her reverie. "We promised Azima and his parents that we are going to save him, and that's what we are going to do."

She shook her head. "I'm not dwelling on anything, Jellal. And you're right, we did make them a promise; one that I won't be taking lightly."

They fell silent, staring at each other over the campfire's flames. When they first set up camp, they discussed what they had learned and discovered that they had reached a similar conclusion: the woman was probably targeting virgin male wizards in their prime and draining them of their magical energies. It was possible that she could be gaining their powers as well, but Jellal had no evidence to offer from his initial findings.

The stars were starting to light up the young night sky, the moon's crescent body casting a silver glow across the land. Jellal finally moved from his position to fan the flames, opting for camping in the wilderness to avoid any situations that may lead to the Magic Council learning of his whereabouts.

"Erza, it will be getting chilly later tonight, so I'd advise you to choose the warmest armor you have to sleep in."

She nodded. "What I'm wearing now will do nicely."

He nodded back. Erza studied him, watching as he tended to the fire and looking as if he wanted to say more. "Is there anything else?"

Jellal froze. "There is, but I wouldn't ask it of you."

He is hiding something, she thought. Looking at him, she saw him turning red. Was it because of how close he was sitting next to the flames, or was he withholding information? "Jellal, what's going on?" When he fell silent, she added, "You either tell me now or after I have you on the other end of my blade."

Jellal half-grinned. "Not really giving me a choice, are you?" This time, he looked her straight in the eye. "If it doesn't bother you, I'd like to ask if you'd… share your body heat with me."

He mumbled the last part, but Erza's ears picked it up. "W-w-why would I do that?" she asked, trying to hide the blush that was quickly spreading across her cheeks.

Having lost the nerve, Jellal looked away. "As you may have noticed, I brought nothing with me on this mission. I travel lightly seeing as I'm always on the move, and all I have at this moment are the clothes on my back. I only ask we sleep near each other so that I will be warmed by your body heat during the night. Nothing more, nothing less."

The beat of her heart increasing, she considered his explanation. He just wants to stay warm, for us to sleep in close proximity. Nothing wrong with that, right? I trust him… I think. He's always been a man of honor, even while he was being controlled. I can do this, so long as I don't think about that dream…

Pushing the tantalizing thoughts away, she looked up at Jellal. "I understand your situation and the reasoning behind your question," she slowly responded. "I… I will permit it for tonight."

Hiding his smile, Jellal bowed his head in thanks. "I promise to act as a gentleman should."

Ignoring the urge to clutch the armor she was currently sporting, Erza tied her hair up. "Well, no reason to postpone this. We're going to need our rest for tomorrow's search anyway."

Curling up close enough to the fire to keep warm yet far enough to ward off any hazards, Erza placed her hands under her head and waited for Jellal.

Waiting… for Jellal, she chanted, almost mesmerized at how it sounded. Maybe, in another life…

Her thoughts quieted as she felt him shift behind her. He mimicked her position, curling around her and letting his chest align with her back. His chin came to rest on the top of her head. They were silent, awkward and yet comfortable in each other's presence.

"Thank you, Erza," he finally whispered. She could feel the words vibrate through his chest, and she wondered at how she was so aware of the sensation through all of her armor. She only nodded.

She felt herself drifting away, watching the flames dance. The world was almost dark, but then his voice rang in her ear.

"I hope you keep all of your promises," he said.

"What?" she asked, the sleep already creeping into her voice, making it softer than it normally was.

"Remember… remember how we used to sleep like this when you were afraid?" he asked in reply.

She frowned, relieved that he couldn't see her expression. "That was a long time ago." We're entering dangerous territory here. "I'm no longer afraid."

"I know, because of the guild and your friends," Jellal replied. "I'm really happy for you."

Folding one of her arms to serve as a pillow, she sighed. "Please don't bring up the past, Jellal. All it does is bring back terrible memories."

"I know, I'm sorry," Jellal agreed. "It's just how I cope with what I've done. All the atrocities I've caused, I try to think back to the time when I actually did good things for those I cared about."

I know you are, she thought. I can see that you're trying. Looking up towards the moon, she untightened the armor around her heart. "I remember, Jellal."

Hearing that, Jellal hid his smile in her hair. "We made so many promises to each other back then. Back when we wanted to escape together."

Erza smiled. "Yes, we did. I remember making you promise that once we escaped, we'd live in the forest like this and never be confined to a building ever again. It took some time before I was even able to enter the guild without checking to make sure the doors wouldn't lock behind me."

Jellal chuckled, and her ears picked up the laugh that she didn't realize she missed. "And I remember making you promise to never leave my side. No matter the battle, I would be there to protect you. You wouldn't believe my disappointment when I realized you could take care of yourself."

Erza fell silent, thinking back to why she needed to protect herself in the first place. "If I hadn't lost you, then maybe I would've kept that promise. It's the only one I never fulfilled."

He closed his eyes, reluctantly letting sleep interrupt the most intimate moment he's had with Erza in years. "Actually, there's one that we promised to each other; I just don't know if we can keep it anymore."

Frowning, Erza ran through the short list of promises she and Jellal had made during that frightful time. Which one was he referring to?

"What was the promise?" She waited for an answer, but all she received was the sound of his steady breathing.

Sighing, she closed her eyes. She knew it was going to haunt her all night.

"Good night, Jellal."

* * *

><p>Smirking, the woman licked her lips as she finished off her latest prey.<p>

"You taste like a summer breeze. You must have the power to control the wind," she surmised. "Is that so?"

All she got in return was the sound of a moan. "I know, I know. I'm sure you enjoyed the gifts of my power, so it's only right that you pay me for my services."

Looking down at the man who called himself Isaiah, she grinned at her latest choice. His caramel skin, rugged chest and strong arms and legs would make any girl swoon. Eyeing his deliciously thick member that had been spent earlier that evening, she almost wanted to go another round.

"You're not the biggest I've had, but that girth of yours surely worked in your favor," she said, as if they were having a conversation. "If I didn't require your energy and was just a normal woman, I may have let you court me."

She let her eyes travel up to meet his, orbs that were once full of life that now barely twinkled. "What… did you do to me?" he gasped.

"Me?" She replied, placing her hand across her exposed and swollen orbs. "I gave you the best sex of your life. Trust me, you will need all of the sleep you're about to get to recover."

Straightening her hair, she suddenly changed into an emerald evening gown that matched her eyes. The V-Neck line exposed an ample amount of her breasts, and the oval slit over her abdomen showed off her sculpted naval.

"Oh, I just love this new technique I picked up this afternoon! I don't remember draining someone of this particular magic, but it does come in handy for all my costume changes. If only I could've drained a bit more… I must find this wizard."

Blowing a kiss to the now unconscious Isaiah, the woman disappeared into the shadows.

"The night is young. My prey awaits…"


	4. Chapter 4

It was only a whisper against her skin, but that's all it took for Erza.

Immediately, her eyes opened up to the scene of Jellal hovering over her, trailing his tongue down the valley between her breasts. The scents of daffodils and rosemary encompassed her as his fingers toyed with her budding tips.

"Jellal!" She half-cried, half-moaned. "What are you-"

What are you doing? Her mind finished for her as his mouth curled around her left areola.

Onyx met silver as Jellal looked up at her with a faint smirk pulling at the edges of lips that were still feasting on her pink peak.

"Ah… Titania finally stirs," Jellal said as he watched her eyes struggle to fight back the passion darkening her pupils. "You smell lovely… your taste is divine."

Erza was frozen under him, the assault on her body making her go against her better judgment.

I need my armor, she thought. Where did it go? She tried to look around her, but the most she could see were the flowers beneath her and Jellal on top of her.

"J-Jellal… you need to-"

She gasped as his fingers found the pink bead that sat between her thighs. Her hands tightened into fists as her body convulsed against him, her walls pulling him in even though she knew this had to stop. She barely had a chance to consider what happened to her pants.

"Your arousal makes you beautiful," he purred, his eyes never leaving hers. He loved the small crinkle in her nose that she got when she tried to hold back a moan, the flush that crossed her cheeks as she looked down into his eyes. "You're so beautiful, Erza."

She couldn't stop it. Her legs squeezed against his sleeved arm, trapping him and telling him silently that she wanted, craved more.

"Why…?" she moaned before her eyes left his. Her head dipped back as her hips lurched up. Why does he have this effect on me?

"Why?" Jellal repeated back as his fingers left her moist cavern and gripped his hardened member. Even he had started to become lost with passion. "Because… we have a promise that I intend to keep. And this…," he trailed off as he pulled himself between her thighs and was inches away from her lips, "… this is only the beginning."

Erza's voice caught in her throat as she watched Jellal's face draw closer to hers, his lips hovering over hers. Her flush darkened as she felt him press against her soft mound.

This can't be happening. This can't be-

Erza blinked. And then she was awoke. Slivers of daylight peaked out on the horizon as the birds began their early morning calls. The fire from the night before had dwindled into nothing, yet Erza was the farthest from cold.

Dammit! She internally yelled. Where did that dream come from? She frowned as she felt moisture between her thighs. Her lower lips pulsated, clearly unsatisfied. Absentmindedly taking one of her hands that had fallen asleep under her head, she led the tingling limb down to touch the top of her skirt, letting her fingers caress her sacred jewel.

If only I could make this feeling go away, she pondered as her fingers began to dance, pressing soundly against her wet womanhood. If I let myself imagine my fingers as his…

Snapping out of it, Erza immediately sat up. Looking around, she realized that only she was in the clearing.

If Jellal had been- if Jellal had _SEEN_… Erza shook her head. He wasn't, he didn't. Taking another look around, she brought herself to her feet.

So where in the hell is he?

As her thoughts wandered through the possibilities, she froze. What if she found us? What if she took him? What if he went off on his own? No, he wouldn't have left me here… his ass would be mine if he did!

Not taking the time to realize the innuendo of that thought, Erza became walking towards the greenery around their camp site. She didn't get far before she heard rustling behind her. Her guard instantly went up.

Turning around, Erza watched as Jellal emerged from the bushes, looking rather disgruntled. When he looked up and saw her, a smile flashed across his face.

"Oh great, you're awake," Jellal said. "I was afraid I would have to wake you up and suffer one of your death glares," he slightly joked. Noticing the weird look on her face, his face crinkled with concern. "What's wrong?"

She opened her mouth to answer him, but thinking better of it, turned to look away instead.

But looking at her as she was gave him more than enough to know what was running through her mind. "I wasn't going to leave you." Holding up his arm, Jellal showed her the reasoning behind his absence. "I thought I'd get us breakfast. It took longer than I thought, but all I could catch was this rabbit. I picked us up some berries and collected some more firewood as well."

I don't ever want you to think I abandoned you, Jellal thought to himself.

Wearing a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes, she silently thanked him for what his words, but his absence wasn't what had her avoiding his gaze.

"Thanks, Jellal," she finally replied. "No need to explain yourself. If you can get a fire going, I'll have the rabbit heating up with my cooking supplies in no time at all."

"Cooking supplies?" Jellal thought out loud. Instead of answering, Erza re-quipped into her chef's clothing, two large knives appearing in her hands.

"These may be a bit big for the rabbit, but they should help with the skinning," Erza said.

"Yeah. The rabbit…" Jellal said, distractedly.

An eyebrow raised, Erza wondered what caught his attention. Looking down, her eyes widened as she discovered that she was only wearing a bikini underneath her large apron. How did I forget about that?!

When she looked back up, Jellal snapped out of it and reached for the firewood. "Oh! Let's get that fire started… the berries were already washed in the small stream… so let's get breakfast ready."

Looking sheepish as he got a fire going, Jellal muttered a soft "sorry" under his breath.

Well, it's my fault, Erza thought to herself as she fetched the rabbit from Jellal. I'll change after we're done, but this isn't really helping me forget what happened before I woke up…

* * *

><p>"Are you ready to go?" Jellal threw over his shoulder as he straightened his clothes. The sun was getting high in the sky, which meant it wasn't too far from noon.<p>

"Yeah," Erza called back. After breakfast, she went to the stream and washed up for the day. Luckily for her, the water was cool against her hot skin. During her short bath, she tried not to think back to her dream. She couldn't remember exactly everything that happened because some parts were fuzzy, but she didn't forget how it made her feel.

Back in her armor, she finally felt safe again: safe from the world, and safe from herself.

Nodding, Jellal walked over to her and smiled. "Before we left, I just wanted to thank you."

Puzzled, Erza looked up at him. "Oh? What did I do?"

Jellal's smile only deepened, and it lit a fire deep within her. "Thank you for last night," he replied. "Your heat was as warm as the color of your hair."

She smiled. "So you're telling me I had heat like scarlet?"

He nodded. "Exactly."

They soon fell into a comfortable gait, neither walking ahead of the other. The trail they were headed on had left the city several miles ago and all that surrounded them was forest.

"Hey, Erza," Jellal said after several moments of silence.

Scanning the woods, she turned to look at him. "Yes?"

"It's nothing important… well, it kinda is for me." Looking at her, Jellal smiled. "Back at the camp, that was the first time I've seen you smile in a long time. And not one of your guarded smiles, but a really genuine one."

Erza fell silent. It hasn't even been a full 24 hours, but she could feel her guard against him breaking down. It's not that I don't hate Jellal, she thought. We used to be friends… and I guess we still are. Otherwise, I wouldn't be here.

"It's not like I hate you, Jellal," she finally decided to reply. "It's just- so much has happened and it seems that I'm constantly fighting a battle between the present I have at Fairy Tail and the past I endured at the Tower of Heaven. The only reason I don't hate you like any sane person would is because up until my last moments there, you were my rock. You made me believe that we could escape. It just turned out that I was the only one who made it out. And then you forced Sawyer, Wally, Sho, Millianna, Simon…"

Unable to look at Jellal, Erza looked down at the trail as her mind brought up the image of Simon dying in her arms. If-If only…

Next thing she knew, Erza was in Jellal's arms. Hugging her close, he stroked her hair. "What happened to Simon still haunts my dreams at night and is never too far from my mind when I'm awake. I will never be free from that guilt, and I shouldn't be. Simon was a great friend, and I took him away from us. If I could've been freed from Zeref's control sooner, I would've made sure that never happened."

"Jellal, stop," she said before pulling away from his embrace. "I know what happened, and though what happened to Simon was tragic, I do understand that it wasn't entirely your fault. As long as we don't forget Simon, he's still here with us. So stop apologizing."

Jellal straightened, unable to disguise the pain and confusion in his eyes. "I really thought you hated me, Erza."

Finally allowing herself to look at him, she sent him a small smile. "I thought I did, too."

He tried to smile back, but a sudden cramp soon had his eyes gleaming with pain. "Erza…"

Immediately noticing the change in his demeanor, she was able to catch Jellal before he hit the ground. "Jellal, what's wrong?!"

He shook his head. "I don't- know…"

Wrapping his right arm around her shoulders, Erza situated them so that she could help him walk. "Okay, let's find someplace we can sit you down."

Limping along, Erza frantically began searching the trees around them for an opening to a clearance. "Just hang on, Jellal. You're going to be okay."

Jellal could only nod, as the pain had spread to his chest. It's almost as if this pain is paralyzing me, he thought.

After dreadful seconds turned into panicked minutes, the greenery finally let up and Erza could see a small cavern that was partially hidden from the trail.

That should work, she thought to herself.

"We're close, Jellal, so hang in there," she told him, but all she heard was his heavy breathing. Looking to her left, she examined his face. Oh no, he's unconscious. I don't have any time to waste.

Once inside the cavern, Erza lied Jellal down in the cool shade of the cave's opening and began examining him.

As she touched his abdomen and stomach, she heard him do a sharp intake of breath.

So this is where he's hurting, she discovered. Was it what we ate this morning? Thinking back, Erza remembered that they both had the rabbit, but only Jellal ate the berries.

"Are you sure about those," Erza had asked. "They could be poisionous."

Jellal only shrugged it off. "I highly doubt it. I eat these types of berries all the time, so I know they're safe."

Erza closed her eyes. You were wrong, Jellal. Dammit!

As she pondered what to do, Erza missed a figure slipping into the cavern.

Chuckling, the interloper grinned at her two unwitting catches. "Well, well. Look at the prey I caught today."

That's all Erza heard before she was quickly knocked out.

* * *

><p>Faint giggling finally managed to pull her out from the darkness. Slightly groggy, Erza went to rub the soreness coming from the back of her head, but realized that her arms had been tied behind her.<p>

"What the hell?" Erza gasped. Looking up, she could make out the silhouette of a woman hovering over Jellal's unconscious body. The shadows cast by the sun in the cave partially hid the woman's face. "Who are you? And what are you doing to Jellal?!"

Slowing her ministrations, the woman looked back at the girl she tied up. "Oh, Jellal? So that's his name! I was beginning to think I wouldn't know it until the poison wore off."

"Poison?" Erza repeated. How did she know?

"Oh you know, the berries. They're normally good for people to eat, but after adding some of my poison, it became the perfect trap for beautiful specimens like Jellal here."

As Erza listened to the strange woman speak, a feeling of dread began developing in the pit of her stomach.

"Untie me, right now," Erza demanded. "You are going to pay for the crimes you have committed."

The woman turned her full attention to the loud girl that she found hovering over her latest catch. "Excuse me?"

Erza's eyes grew stern as she looked at the woman. "A young woman like you setting up traps for men like Jellal. I'm not blind. I see what you're doing over there. Even in the shadows, I can tell he's half naked. You're definitely the woman that has been stealing magic and putting men all around Fiore into comas. And once I get out of these bindings, you're going straight to the Magic Council and will be prosecuted after you save those men."

Chuckling, the woman stood up and began making her way to Erza. "You are one very observant girl. What's your name?"

"Erza Scarlet of Fairy Tail," she replied.

The woman's eyes widened. "A wizard from a guild?"

Looking back and forth between her and Jellal, the woman slowly began shaking her head. "So it seems my prey turned out to be hunting me?"

Before Erza could retort, she heard soft gasping from Jellal. "Jellal!" she called out, ignoring the woman in front of her.

"Erza… where are we?" he asked.

"Jellal, how are you feeling? I think we found the woman we've been looking for," she added, her eyes reluctantly moving back to their current threat.

"Oh… so he awakens," the nameless woman chimed in. "And to think I would've enjoyed draining you, but it appears I need to make my escape. I can handle one wizard, but not two."

Looking at Erza, the woman smiled. "I think I need to keep you two… _occupied_, so that I can get away from you as far as I can." There's no way I'll serve jail time for preserving my magic, she added to herself.

Smirking, the woman knelt down in front of Erza. Before Erza registered what was happening, their lips were touching.

Eyes widening, Erza tried to move away, but her head was already pressed against the cool walls of the cavern. She could only try to wrestle away as the woman's tongue danced with hers.

"Mmmm… you taste like the magic I acquired yesterday. It must've been you that I got the re-quip abilities from," the woman surmised. "Well, that's too bad. I'm not really into women."

Erza blanched. "Then why did you just _kiss_ me?" she snapped.

The woman smirked. "For him." Getting up, she walked over to the now conscious Jellal. Looking down, she smiled as she found what she wanted to see. "You'll be the perfect distraction," as she admired the noticeable bulge beneath his pants.

Looking back at Erza, she shot her a mischievous grin. "It seems Jellal here really enjoyed our make-out session. After I kiss him with your taste on my lips, all he'll think about is you. All he'll _w_a_nt_ is you."

All Erza could do was watch as the woman managed to lean down and kiss Jellal, despite his struggling. When she pulled back up, she watched happily as her special magic began to work on him.

Time for me to go, the woman decided.

Walking past Erza, she gave her one last look and a message that would leave her feeling cold.

"Oh, one more thing. That kiss we shared also paralyzes you from doing anything until your friend Jellal is finished. Well, not completely… so have fun," she cackled as she left the cavern.

Erza began feeling the sensation almost immediately. She could barely move with her arms tied down and couldn't hold herself up. Soon, her body had slumped to the floor.

"Jellal…" she called out. We can't let her escape, she thought.

Soon after, she felt his hands at her shoulders. Looking up, she sighed with relief_—_until she saw that he was completely naked.

"Jellal, where are your clothes?!" she exclaimed, her eyes trying to remain on his face. Weakly struggling against her restraints, she paused as one of his hands cupped her cheek.

"It's time, Erza," Jellal said, looking half-dazed and half-aroused.

"What are you doing, Jellal? Time for what?" she asked.

"Time to fulfill our promise," he whispered.

Then his lips took hers.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: For anyone wondering, this story takes place before Jellal or Erza knew that it was actually Ultear controlling Jellal, not Zeref.**


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